US federal regulator to urge
Congress to enact harsh laws against
TV violence

BY A CORRESPONDENT

24 April, 2007: Concerned over the
effect of television violence on
children, the United States Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) have
decided to recommend that Congress
enact legislation to give the
government unprecedented powers to
check violence in television
entertainment programming.

The federal regulator, according to
government and television industry
sources, has concluded that regulating
TV violence is in public interest,
particularly during times when
children are likely to watch
television – typically between 6 a.m.
and 10 p.m.

The Federal Communications
Commission’s recommendations, which
will be released in a report to
Congress by the end of April 2007, are
likely to trigger a legal battle
between Washington and the television
industry.

The Federal Communications Commission
has, for decades, penalized
broadcasters for airing sexually
suggestive, or indecent, speech and
images. However, it has never had the
authority to fine television stations
and networks for violent programming.

The FCC insists that Congress has the
authority to regulate excessive
violence and extend its reach into
basic-cable television channels that
consumers pay to receive.

Experts on First Amendment s well as
television industry executives opine
that any attempt to regulate
television faces high constitutional
hurdles – especially so with cable TV
since consumers choose to buy its
programming.

Moreover, any laws governing TV
violence would have to define what
violence is. The report by the Federal
Communications Commission contains
broad guidelines, but leaves the
details to Congress.

According to regulators and lawmakers,
violent acts on entertainment shows –
ranging from torture scenes on Fox’s
24 to the violence of professional
wrestling – have escalated in recent
years, posing a continuing threat to
children.

Federal Communications Commission
chairman Kevin Martin is of the
opinion that “parents are always the
first and last line of defense in
protecting their children, but
legislation could give parents more
tools.” It would be better if the
industry addressed this on its own,
Kevin Martin adds, but parents can be
helped through regulation.

The FCC is giving the final touches to
its recommendations amid heightened
sensitivity to the issue of television
violence in the backdrop of
round-the-clock TV news coverage of
the recent campus carnage in Virginia
Tech University.

Research dating back to the 1950s has
demonstrated that prolonged exposure
to watching violence on television has
a negative effect on children. The
observed behavior among these children
ranged from heightened anxiety to
aggressive acts.

But, studies also have shown that some
portrayals of TV violence can be
beneficial, such as showing children
the harm caused by violent behavior.

The United States Congress has
struggled with the issue for decades
now, but never enacted a law designed
to check television violence.

In 2004, 39 lawmakers had asked the
FCC to study the issue and advise
Congress on legislation.